What is best for a 5-6 foot entry from a pier? Giant stride?

[Thalassamania]

We do the same thing at South Point on the Big Island. Gear goes down on a line, and you jump in (an honest 34 feet) or climb down the cliff. After the dive you climb up and haul your gear up later.

 

[TSandM]

There is a cave dive in Mexico with a drop of about 20 feet, and people do that in doubles. It's actually amazing how little trouble it causes to do a long drop in gear. The first time I had to get off the Spectre (which I think is the boat in Teamcasa's picture) I was nervous as all get-out, but it went fine. Last weekend, I did a GS off a boat (about five or six feet) holding a SCOOTER!

 

[piikki]

I don't like striding >5 ft either

What we call a "short step"

Step out like a Giant Stride, but enter the water with fins together, toes a bit up, heels into the water first, slightly leaning back.

That's good advice. The higher the fall and more apprehensive you are, the easier it is to have your fins splintering all around and taking an awkward tumble. Keeping legs together, body stiff makes for neat, controlled entry... and if you "fall" you fall on your back/arse rather than your face

But anyway, I think your group was maybe making you unnecessarily nervous about the freeflow. Just turn your reg on minus (if it has the the pre dive +/- switch). You do not need to make tech-level adjustments with your reg - at least I haven't had to for just dropping rig into water. Tidy all tanglies into BC, blow wing up and be ready to jump right after your goodies. Way more comfy than jumping very high with all the weight on, for me at least

 

[Thalassamania]

Oh, I forgot, the "embolism from regulator in the mouth on entry" that have occurred have all been from 4 or more feet. Snorkel in the mouth for safety!

 

[piikki]

Oh, I forgot, the "embolism from regulator in the mouth on entry" that have occurred have all been from 4 or more feet. Snorkel in the mouth for safety!

Ok, you gotta tell more about this. Gotta be pretty rare!

 

[miketsp]

The major concern jumping in off high piers is water depth.
I've hit bottom a few times with my fins and jarred my spine even though I thought we had a lot of water.

 

[DandyDon]

I'd go for throwing the gear in first, fully inflated an putting it on at the surface. I'm a baby and I find a 5 foot drop too high for my comfort with all my gear on lol I'm small framed and don't like the pressure of it from that long of a drop. But you'd be fine with a giant stride. Hold your mask and reg with one hand and your consoles close to your body with the other.

You tried that? There are some risks.

Reminds me of a story told by friends of mine who went diving in Malta. You geared up at the top of what they called a "cliff" and jumped in. They said 20 feet, but you need to allow for the BS factor.

When the dive was over you tied your gear off to a rope that you hopefully had remembered to throw down before you jumped, and then scrambled back up around the cliff and hauled your gear up.

Yep, The Pit on the Dos Ojos property requires a 20 ft or more stride. We did lean our heads forward to avoid bumping the valve. At the end, leave the kit floating, use a rope to help climb the wall, use a rope pulley to pull up the kits.

The major concern jumping in off high piers is water depth.
I've hit bottom a few times with my fins and jarred my spine even though I thought we had a lot of water.

Yeah, that sucks. Did that once at San Soloman, Texas.

 

[Teamcasa]

From another thread
All I can say is where is his buddy and how is he getting out !

 

[Ladyvalea]

I don't like striding >5 ft either


But anyway, I think your group was maybe making you unnecessarily nervous about the freeflow. Just turn your reg on minus (if it has the the pre dive +/- switch). You do not need to make tech-level adjustments with your reg - at least I haven't had to for just dropping rig into water. Tidy all tanglies into BC, blow wing up and be ready to jump right after your goodies. Way more comfy than jumping very high with all the weight on, for me at least

Yep,. I have that Aqualung Lengend...with the +/- switch...but i thought I had to adjust the venturi?? the thingy that you can turn to hard breathing or easy? I had it set to the perfect breathin ... I didn't want to turn it to the loose end .... So ...I really didn't have to touch that part of the regulator? right????

 

[Ladyvalea]

From another thread
All I can say is where is his buddy and how is he getting out !

this looks scary to me!!! I didn't think I would jump in with just a bathing suit in the hot summer!! Nope...nope...

this is scary